Side by side
Trump Account vs 529 Calculator
Put the same yearly savings into a Trump Account and a 529 plan and compare what is left after tax, if the money pays for college or goes to something else.
$2,000 a year for 18 years
| Trump Account | 529 plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance before taxes | $72,376 | $71,242 |
| After tax, spent on college | $68,011 | $71,242 |
| After tax, other use before 59½ | $64,373 | $63,489 |
Example at 7% before fees and a 12% tax rate. Simplified illustration, not tax advice.
Everything you enter stays in this browser and is not uploaded or saved. Results are illustrations based on the return you choose, not forecasts or investment advice. Rules come from IRS Notice 2025-68 and can change; confirm details with the IRS, trumpaccounts.gov or your account provider.
How the comparison is calculated
Both accounts receive the same deposit at the start of each year and earn the same return, minus each account's fee. At the end, the page applies the withdrawal rules for two uses: paying for college, and anything else before age 59½.
- Trump Account: your own contributions come back tax free; everything else (growth, plus any pilot, employer or charity money) is taxed as ordinary income. The 10% additional tax applies before 59½ unless an exception such as qualified higher education expenses applies.
- 529 plan: withdrawals for qualified education expenses are tax free. Other withdrawals tax the earnings and add a 10% additional tax.
What the numbers leave out
Many states give a tax deduction for 529 contributions, which this page does not include. A Trump Account can also stay invested after 18 as a traditional IRA, which may matter more than college for some families. Financial aid treatment is not covered. Use the result to see the size of the trade-off, then check the rules that apply to you.
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
How Trump Accounts work, in plain English
What a Trump Account is, who can have one, where the money can be invested, and what happens when the child turns 18.
Trump Account contribution limits for 2026 and 2027
The $5,000 yearly limit, the $2,500 employer limit, the money that does not count toward either, and the calendar-year rule.
The $1,000 Trump Account pilot contribution: who gets it and how
Who qualifies for the one-time $1,000 federal deposit, how to claim it, and how it fits with the rest of the account.
Trump Account or 529 plan: which to fund first
How the two accounts differ on taxes, flexibility and limits, and how families can decide where the next dollar goes.
Trump Account taxes and withdrawals at 18
What changes when the growth period ends, how withdrawals are taxed, and when the 10% additional tax applies.
What a Trump Account can invest in, and why fees matter
The eligible investment rules, the 0.1% fee cap, and how a few hundredths of a percent change the balance by 18.